


An Afternoon at the Pub

by szm



Series: Random Crossovers [1]
Category: Merlin (TV), Torchwood
Genre: Gen, Implied Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-31
Updated: 2012-12-31
Packaged: 2017-11-23 03:03:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/617370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/szm/pseuds/szm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack and Merlin don't see each other very often, but every now and then their paths cross.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Afternoon at the Pub

“No,” said Merlin as soon as he walked in.

Jack stopped for a split second then walked forward, his best ‘don’t-you-just-love-me’ smile in place. “Come on, I haven’t even asked yet.”

“Save your breath,” said Merlin curtly raising a pint glass to his lips and not sparing Jack as much as a glance.

The pub they were in was called The Royal Oak. A warm but slightly run down place. Lots of polished wood and patterned fabrics, the faint smell of tobacco even now, some years after the smoking ban. Merlin had been coming here for years, more years than he cared to remember. Jack sighed and slipped into the chair next to Merlin. Merlin glanced at the other man. He didn’t understand Jack, how he managed to go from decade to decade without seeming to change. At least on the outside. But every time he showed up he usually brought something with him so strange that even Merlin found it hard to believe. This time however Jack looked _old_ , the kind of bone deep weariness Merlin could understand all too well. The kind you developed when you lost everything again and again. Merlin drained his glass and stood up, hand going to pocket. 

“What are you drinking?” he asked.

“Water,” said Jack flatly.

Merlin scoffed. “Cheap date.”

“Only for you,” flirted Jack, twinkle in his eye but somehow his heart didn’t seem to be in it.

It was still early evening so the pub was nearly empty. Merlin waited at the bar while the barmaid finished her conversation with a young man. Probably her boyfriend, or at the very least he wanted to be. When she crossed over to Merlin she gave him a kind smile. People knew him, it was probably beyond time to move on. Drop his age a few decades and start again. But Merlin was comfortable here, enough that he was putting it off. 

“Hey, Mr Emerys,” she said brightly. “Same again?”

“Thank you, Vivian. And a water for my friend,” replied Merlin.

Vivian pushed the drinks across the bar, waving away Merlin’s money. “On the house, if you’ll take a look at my English essay?”

Merlin smiled and nodded, Vivian beamed and promised to give it to him before he left.

As he walked back to the table Jack was smirking at him. “You seem settled,” he commented.

“I suppose,” replied Merlin passing Jack his water and sitting down.

“Nice girl,” said Jack taking a sip to try and hide his smirk.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Merlin. “I’m old enough to be her grandfather.”

“Only because you chose to be,” countered Jack.

They sat in silence for a while, not exactly comfortable but _understanding_.

“You know,” said Jack finally. “King Arthur is supposed to show up when Albion needs him. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but things have been pretty bad.”

Merlin tried to ignore the pain in his chest at the mention of his King, and his friend. “And you dealt with it, well done. You didn’t need him, clearly.”

A long few minutes passed before Jack replied. “You know even though I’ve seen what you can do, I’m still not sure I believe most of your stories.”

Merlin nodded. “Only fair, I definitely don’t believe any of yours.”

Jack laughed but it sounded terribly sad. “Then I should tell you the tale of Ianto Jones, because I wish that wasn’t true.


End file.
